Written Answers

Thursday 28 June 2001

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in discussions with the European Commission over the sheep export trade.

Rhona Brankin: The importance of exports to the Scottish livestock industry and especially to sheep producers in the remoter areas is recognised fully by the Executive. Mr Finnie will be discussing with other UK Agriculture Ministers how best to put a case to the European Union aimed at reopening the export market. Experience suggests that demanding conditions are likely to be set by the EU.

Cancer

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in which health board areas the brain cancer drug temozolomide is available.

Susan Deacon: This information is not held centrally. Temozolomide is available on the NHS and its use depends on the clinical judgement of specialists experienced in the management of brain cancer.

Child Protection

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to issue new guidance to protect children from the dangers of the internet.

Mr Jack McConnell: On 21 March this year I announced the setting up of an action group to review existing guidance, to propose any necessary revisions and to make recommendations about any further guidance the group might consider necessary. The group expects to report to ministers by October.

Child Protection

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what factors led to the recently announced increase in core funding for ChildLine Scotland.

Mr Jack McConnell: The extra funding was to support ChildLine in their valuable work in providing a free confidential telephone counselling service for children in trouble or danger. It took account of the significant increase in the volume of calls to ChildLine.

Employment

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in attracting new jobs to Kintyre.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: Progress has been good, and I was particularly pleased to confirm on 19 June that the UK’s first wind turbine factory is to be built at Machrihanish, creating 124 direct and 44 indirect planned jobs. Meanwhile, Argyll and the Islands Enterprise are continuing to pursue the development of an advance build call centre with the potential to create up to 200 jobs in the area.

Enterprise

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the New Futures Fund will continue beyond the end of its three-year funding period in March 2002.

Ms Wendy Alexander: I have been reviewing the future of this initiative, and will make an announcement as soon as possible.

Environment

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take to alleviate noise pollution at waste transfer stations and landfill sites as a result of vehicles transporting waste through residential and commercial areas.

Rhona Brankin: This is a matter for local authorities in Scotland. Local authorities, either in dealing with noise as nuisance issues under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 or, in some cases, in their planning authority role, are responsible for any enforcement action that may be necessary on noise associated with waste transfer stations and landfill sites.

Environment

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action will be taken against companies that contravene environmental notices served on them by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Rhona Brankin: The serving of enforcement and improvement notices is one of a range of options available to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to deal with contravention of licences it has issued. If operators fail to comply with the terms of such notices, further sanctions available to SEPA can include variation or revocation of the relevant licences, and reporting the case to the Procurator Fiscal. The choice of the most appropriate option in individual cases is an operational matter for SEPA.

Environment

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-15917 by Rhona Brankin on 5 June 2001, when it expects to have considered the consultation responses to The Nature of Scotland: A Policy Statement  and when it expects to announce its legislative plans in respect of the proposals outlined in the statement.

Rhona Brankin: Analysis of the consultation responses to The Nature of Scotland: A Policy Statement is currently in progress. The Scottish ministers will consider these consultation responses before announcing proposals for the future legislative programme later this year.

External Affairs

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish its policies on Europe and external affairs and, if so, when.

Mr Jack McConnell: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1O-3468 on 24 May 2001.

External Affairs

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to post departmental officials to serve in the UK embassies in Ireland and South Africa to carry out functions along the lines of the official to be posted to the UK Embassy in Washington and whether it will set out the timetable for any such postings, the number and seniority of staff who would be posted and how they would interact with UK government departments.

Mr Jack McConnell: We have no plans to replicate the Washington post in any other Embassy, although this remains an option for the future.

External Affairs

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any official contacts it has had with representatives of the governments of Ireland and South Africa.

Mr Jack McConnell: Officials have enjoyed contacts with representatives of the governments of Ireland and South Africa on a wide range of issues, including the recent visits of the Taoiseach and President Mbeki. A single record of all such contacts is not kept and could only be prepared at disproportionate cost.

Finance

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scotland currently has a structural fiscal deficit with the rest of the United Kingdom.

Angus MacKay: Latest published figures in Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland 1998-99 suggest that Scotland had a deficit of £4.9 billion, excluding North Sea revenues, in 1998-99. In the same year, the UK Government’s fiscal position, excluding North Sea revenues, was broadly in balance.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be a resumption of livestock auction sales this autumn.

Rhona Brankin: Whether or not to allow the customary autumn sales to proceed on the normal lines is an important but difficult decision. The options are being evaluated at present. Ross Finnie will let the industry know the outcome as soon as he can.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the economy of Dumfries and Galloway following the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.

Rhona Brankin: The Dumfries and Galloway Economic Forum is leading a group of local organisations to assess the scale and nature of the impact in the Dumfries and Galloway area. Their work is feeding into the Economic Impact Assessment Group which Ross Finnie set up in March 2001 to inform the Executive’s response in providing immediate hardship relief and planning for longer-term recovery.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an update on the foot-and-mouth disease situation.

Ross Finnie: The foot-and-mouth disease situation in Scotland continues to improve. There have been no new cases of the disease in Scotland since 30 May, when the number of confirmed cases was 187. To prevent any further cases from occurring, I urge farmers and people who visit livestock farming areas to continue to maintain their vigilance against the disease, especially in relation to biosecurity, cleansing and disinfection and other disease safeguards. In partnership with farmers, local authorities, the army and others, the Scottish Executive and the State Veterinary Service remain prepared to deal swiftly with any further outbreaks of the disease should they occur.

  A wide range of measures has been introduced over the last month to assist livestock farmers to resume some of their normal activities, including shrinking of the Infected Area, further relaxations to the restrictions on animal movements, new arrangements for sheep shearing and dipping, and programmes of serological testing of sheep and cleansing and disinfection of affected farms. Subject to the disease situation remaining stable in Scotland and taking into account veterinary advice, we will continue to relax animal movement controls and other restrictions over the coming weeks.

  I am pleased to be able to announce today some further relaxations to the disease control arrangements which we intend to make over the next few weeks. The Infected Areas of Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders are being progressively shrunk as quickly as possible and with no further outbreaks of the disease we would expect to move virtually all of the remaining Infected Areas to At Risk status within the next month.

  Serological testing of sheep from the At Risk Areas is now nearly complete and all of the results from the Galashiels Division are negative. Provided the remaining test results from the Ayr Division are also negative and there are no adverse developments in the disease situation, I intend to move the Provisionally Free Area line southwards to the borders of Dumfries and Galloway and the Borders Administrative Regions to take in administrative areas which have never had any cases of foot-and-mouth disease. I hope to be able to do this in early July. When this happens, I will ensure that satisfactory arrangements are in place to continue to allow cattle from the Infected Area to be slaughtered elsewhere in Scotland. My aim thereafter will be to move the remaining parts of Scotland as quickly as possible to PFA status.

  Since the beginning of June movements of cattle only direct to slaughter from the Infected Area have been permitted under license and subject to strictly controlled conditions. SEERAD staff are monitoring these operations to ensure compliance with the conditions. During the course of June we have also announced further relaxations to the restrictions on animal movements, particularly in relation to pigs, and the remaining restrictions will be relaxed progressively as the disease situation improves, but we will not take unnecessary risks. As part of this process, we are also considering what steps could be taken to allow some controlled market transactions in livestock to resume in the autumn in recognition of the importance of breeding sales and stock markets. However, because of the disease risks associated with stock from around the country mingling together and then dispersing, we cannot run the risk of allowing an immediate resumption of markets.

  An important step in moving towards securing disease free status is to carry out extensive blood testing of sheep flocks throughout Scotland. In the Provisionally Free Area blood samples have been collected from 112 flocks and, as at 26 June, confirmed negative results have been received from 108 flocks, with only four results still awaited. In the At Risk Area, samples from approximately 120 flocks around three Dangerous Contact premises in Ayr Division and five in the Galashiels Division have been sent to the new laboratory facilities at CAMR Porton Down. As mentioned above, negative results have so far been logged from all of the samples from the Galashiels Division; the results from the Ayr Division are still awaited. The sampling schedule for the 3-10 km ring around the envelope of Infected Premises in the Infected Area is currently being developed. I am pleased to announce today that the Scottish Executive has agreed in principle with our counterparts in Northern Ireland that we can make use of their testing facilities which we hope will substantially speed up the time it takes to complete the necessary blood testing.

  Sheep shearing and dipping can present a significant risk of transmitting foot-and-mouth disease but, for animal welfare reasons, both operations need to be allowed to go ahead. The risk of disease transmission from a high to a low risk area is increased if those involved in shearing and dipping operate in different risk areas. Therefore, the Scottish Executive has introduced licensing schemes which will control the movement of shearers and dippers from Infected to Non-Infected Areas. This will greatly reduce the risk of transmitting foot-and-mouth disease.

  A major exercise is underway to cleanse and disinfect all of the farms which have been affected by the disease. Over 1,200 premises have been identified as requiring cleansing and disinfection; over half of these require full cleansing and disinfection in addition to preliminary procedures. In well over half of the total number of premises cleansing and disinfection has been completed and it is in progress on the vast majority of the remaining premises. Work has not yet started on only a handful of premises, usually because the poor physical condition of buildings on those premise raise specific technical difficulties in carrying out cleansing and disinfection to the required rigorous standards. Over 400 farmers are currently performing cleansing and disinfection work on their own or other farms. Any assistance which they require in doing this work is being provided by the cleansing staff of Dumfries and Galloway Council or by contractors.

  Many farmers are now considering when and how to restock their farms and it is essential that this is undertaken according to very detailed criteria. An Information Note setting out the options available to farmers and detailing the steps which they must take has now been prepared and is being issued to all farmers who have lost stock during the cull. Further information can be obtained by contacting the foot-and-mouth disease centres at the Galashiels or Ayr Animal Health Offices.

  An increasing number of routine farm inspections by SEERAD Agricultural Staff are also now being made, subject to suitable precautions.

  There is now a presumption in favour of public access to the countryside in both the Provisionally Free Area and At Risk Area. Local authorities are required to notify Scottish ministers of all official closures – those that have been approved both by the relevant local authority and the Divisional Veterinary Manager. From Friday 29 June, all official closures will be published on the Scottish Executive website (www.scotland.gov.uk) - with the exception of the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway, where the more complex and rapidly changing situation means that it is more practical for those two local authorities to provide information on their own websites. Only sites listed on the Scottish Executive website have force in law.

  Further information concerning the number and type of animals slaughtered as part of the cull and under the welfare disposal scheme, the number of animal movement licences issued and a range of other recent developments relating to the disease is contained in the various information notes which are lodged on a regular basis in SPICe and posted on the foot-and-mouth disease section of the Scottish Executive website. These information notes will continue to be updated during the summer recess, at intervals appropriate to the rate of change in the disease situation and I encourage members to make use of these sources of information.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12217 by Susan Deacon on 11 May 2001, what its timetable is for achieving a significant reduction in variations in prescribing practice across Scotland.

Susan Deacon: Following a commitment in Our National Health , the Chief Medical Officer has asked Professor David Lawson to lead work with the Health Technology Board for Scotland and with local area drug and therapeutic committees on removing inequities in prescribing practice across Scotland. As a result of this, a seminar was held on 16 May at which the concept of a Scotland-wide consortium of Area Drug and Therapeutic Committees - a Scottish Medicines Consortium - was launched. This would provide a single source of Scottish advice to clinicians as close to the time of marketing of a new drug as possible. The Health Technology Board for Scotland has agreed to provide administrative and methodological support to the consortium. Discussions are ongoing with local area drug and therapeutic committees and health boards across Scotland and it is hoped that the consortium could begin operating in the autumn.

Hospitals

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to support the roles and functions of community hospitals.

Susan Deacon: The Executive believes that community hospitals have an important role to play in the spectrum of care provision to local communities.

  We are working closely with the Scottish Association of Community Hospitals to ensure that that role is supported and developed effectively.

Infectious Salmon Anaemia

Mr John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will clarify what the process and eligibility criteria are for applications under the infectious salmon anaemia re-start fund.

Rhona Brankin: Applicants make their initial approach through the local enterprise network. My department provides HIE with a judgement on eligibility.

  Eligible businesses are those with fish or shellfish sites registered prior to the outbreak of infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) under the Registration of Fish Farming and Shellfish Farming Business Order 1985, which have been affected by ISA whether through confirmation or suspicion of ISA in the stocks of the applicant business, or through movement restrictions.

  Those companies who are eligible must then discuss their circumstances with HIE who will assess what level of assistance is appropriate for the company concerned, according to the criteria agreed with the EC and those usually applied under the Finance for Business scheme.

Inter-Governmental Conference

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when a report of the negotiations and consultations between Her Majesty's Government and the Scottish Executive in preparation for the 2000 Inter-governmental Conference in Nice will be in the public domain.

Mr Jack McConnell: There are no plans to produce such a report.

Inter-Governmental Conference

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12056 by Mr Jack McConnell on 4 January 2001, which ministers and officials were involved in the consultation with Her Majesty's Government in preparation for the Inter-Governmental Conference; whether any record of this consultation was made, and where any such record has been lodged.

Mr Jack McConnell: Discussions between the Scottish Executive and the UK Government are conducted on a confidential basis. Furthermore, under the Scottish Executive’s Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Information , information whose disclosure would harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion, including internal opinion, advice, recommendation, consultation and deliberation is not released.

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the First Minister to what extent the pattern of land ownership is expected to change should the proposals contained in its draft Land Reform (Scotland) Bill be implemented.

Henry McLeish: The community right to buy proposals in the draft Land Reform (Scotland) Bill will give community bodies significant new opportunities to own and manage rural land for community purposes. They will be able to register an interest in land in which they can demonstrate a connection and will be able to buy that land when it comes on the market. Crofting communities will be able to buy their croft land at any time.

  While there will be no dramatic change in the pattern of land ownership, these provisions will gradually lead to greater community ownership of land, a process which is already under way in many parts of Scotland.

Learning Disabilities

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-15595 by Malcolm Chisholm on 11 June 2001, how many people with learning disabilities it estimates will be transferred from long-stay hospitals to the community in the current financial year and in each of the following two years and how many people with learning difficulties it estimates will be in long-stay hospitals at the end of financial year 2003-04.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15528 on 16 May 2001.

Licensing

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the independent committee which is to review alcohol licensing legislation, as announced on 7 December 2000, will begin work and what its timetable will be.

Mr Jim Wallace: I am pleased to announce that Sheriff Principal Gordon Nicholson QC has accepted my invitation to chair this committee.

  Sheriff Principal Nicholson will bring his wealth of experience and expertise to the post. This committee is crucial to modernising our liquor licensing arrangements. The current law has served us well over 25 years. We now need to look at the issues again in the light of social changes; at how we encourage healthy patterns of drinking, and at how we discourage the links between drinking and violence.

  I expect to make an announcement about the wider membership of the committee early in July. It is hoped the committee will be able to hold its first meeting in August and to complete its work within 18 months.

Local Government

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met officials from Argyll and Bute Council and what issues were discussed.

Peter Peacock: I met the Leader and Chief Executive of Argyll & Bute Council on 2 April 2001 to discuss local government issues.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage employers to eliminate any discrimination in the workplace against people with mental illness.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The New Deal for Disabled People will be extended nationally from July 2001 to all people claiming incapacity benefits which will offer new opportunities for people with mental health problems.

  The Disability Discrimination Act already protects people disabled by mental illness. The UK Government has asked the Disability Rights Commission to look at the Disability Discrimination Act’s coverage of people with mental health problems and will consider carefully any recommendations for legislative change that the commission makes.

  The UK Government has announced its intention to end in 2004 the exemption of small firms from the Disability Discrimination Act employment provisions and, when legislative time allows, the exemption of many occupations and types of employment. This will ensure that employees or job applicants in those areas who are disabled with mental health problems are protected from discrimination.

  As an Executive we are committed to removing stigma and improving access to care and support. The Executive's Scottish Health Plan, Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change, announced a £4 million investment in a campaign to promote positive mental health. Consideration continues on the scope of that campaign.

  The Executive is also funding a project run by the Scottish Development Centre for Mental Health to examine ways in which people with mental health problems can be helped to return to and remain in employment.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether all patients in psychiatric hospitals or units should receive a care and treatment package designed to address their problems and prepare them for re-integration into the community on discharge and whether such care and treatment plans should be fully discussed with the patient.

Malcolm Chisholm: Our objective for every discharge or transfer from hospital care is for the continuing care arrangements to fit the assessed needs of the individual. This is particularly true for those with a mental illness where needs can be complex and require co-operation and planning among a number of agencies. The aim always is to provide care, support and in some cases accommodation that matches needs and is both sustainable and responsive to changing needs.

  The Care Programme Approach (CPA) has been designed specifically for people with more severe and enduring mental illnesses. The objective is to ensure that properly designed and managed packages of health and social care are arranged for such people in appropriate accommodation in the community. No-one is included in the CPA without the agreement of a consultant psychiatrist and informed consent is sought wherever possible.

National Parks

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps  sportscotland is planning to take to promote the Cairngorm National Park as a sport and recreation centre of international excellence.

Allan Wilson: The National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000 provides for the establishment of a National Park Authority and the promotion of the park will be a matter for the authority. However,  sportscotland intends to work closely with the authority to develop a Park Plan that will ensure that the aim of "promoting understanding and enjoyment (including enjoyment in the form of recreation) of the special qualities of the area by the public" is met.

Nuclear Submarines

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice Scottish Natural Heritage has given on whether Mellon Charles near Aultbea in Wester Ross should be chosen as the location for a repository of nuclear waste material from decommissioned nuclear submarines.

Rhona Brankin: Scottish Natural Heritage has not been asked for advice on whether Mellon Charles near Aultbea in Wester Ross should be chosen as the location for a repository of nuclear waste material from decommissioned nuclear submarines. Mellon Charles lies within the Wester Ross National Scenic Area and, consequently, should a planning application be submitted, then SNH would be consulted as required by the Town and Country Planning Act 1971.

Nursery Education

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the target of having a nursery place available for all three-year-olds whose parents want one will be met.

Mr Jack McConnell: By the end of the 2000-01 school year we expect participation of eligible three-year-olds to rise to approximately 80% and we expect to meet the target in full by April 2002.

Parliamentary Questions

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to questions S1W-15005, 15012, 15013, 15014, 15015 and 15016 by Mr Jack McConnell on 2 May 2001, whether there is a time limit within which a non-departmental public body should provide information to a member when requested to do so by a minister and, if so, whether this time limit is greater than four weeks.

Angus MacKay: Executive NDPBs are required to comply with the Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Information , which came into effect on 1 July 1999. This states that information will be provided as soon as practicable with a target response to simple requests of 20 days from the date of receipt. This target may need to be extended when significant search or collation of material is required.

  Where the information cannot be provided under the terms of the code, an explanation will normally be given.

Rail Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in conjunction with the Strategic Rail Authority, it will ensure that the opening of the Stirling/Alloa/Dunfermline line is made a condition of any future ScotRail franchise.

Sarah Boyack: The Executive’s Directions and Guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority for the new Scottish passenger rail franchise will not contain detailed prescription about infrastructure. All bids for the new franchise will be scrutinised by the SRA (and Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive in respect of services in their area), in conjunction with the Scottish Executive to ensure that the new franchise reflects strategic aspirations within the available resources.

Regulation

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made by the Improving Regulation in Scotland Unit in cutting the burden of red tape on Scottish business.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: The IRIS Unit has discussed over 100 regulations with other departments, encouraged the use of the Enforcement Concordat and in February the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning announced enhancements to the Executive’s improving regulation strategy, such as the introduction of Review Regulatory Impact Assessments. The unit has also pursued over 170 enquiries from businesses and many of the concerns, such as on licensing and planning, have been addressed by the Executive.

Regulation of Care (Scotland) Bill

Mike Watson (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether further provision is to be made in relation to the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Bill.

Henry McLeish: Yes. A number of amendments were made to other enactments at Stage 2 of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Bill, including an amendment to the Finance Act 2000. That amendment relates to a reserved matter and is therefore outwith the Parliament’s legislative competence. The Secretary of State for Scotland and I have accordingly agreed that this should be rectified by means of an Order which will be made by the Secretary of State under section 107 of the Scotland Act. Section 107 Orders do not require to be laid before the Scottish Parliament, but copies will be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre together with an explanatory letter.

Renewable Energy

Mr John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Ministry of Defence in relation to the siting of wind farms in low flying areas.

Lewis Macdonald: There have been no discussions between the Executive and the Ministry of Defence on this matter.

Renewable Energy

Mr John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what weight is given to objections from the Ministry of Defence in relation to decisions on whether wind farm planning applications should be approved.

Lewis Macdonald: It is for the decision-maker to consider the weight to be attached to all issues raised by a development proposal, including objections, before reaching a decision on the application.

Renewable Energy

Mr John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications have been received for wind farms in low flying area 14(T).

Mr John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications for wind farms in low flying area 14(T) have been (a) approved and (b) rejected.

Lewis Macdonald: This information is not held centrally.

Renewable Energy

Mr John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any objections by the Ministry of Defence to wind farm developments in relation to the impact of low flying aircraft have been considered during the development of the Renewables Obligation (Scotland).

Rhona Brankin: The Ministry of Defence made no response to our preliminary consultation on the Renewables Obligation (Scotland). The Ministry of Defence position on the siting of wind farms in tactical training areas was set out by Dr Moonie, the Defence Minister responsible for these issues, in an answer to a Westminster PQ on 22 March.

  It is clear that, whilst obstacles in excess of 100 m in height, unlit by night and with the ability to cause interference to radar, are potentially of concern to the Ministry of Defence, each case will be considered on its merits. These matters should be resolved during the planning process.

  The final statutory consultation on the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) will be published soon. Any comments received from the Ministry of Defence will be considered along with all other responses when that consultation ends.

Renewable Energy

Mr John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any areas of Scotland have been rejected as potential sites for the development of wind farms due to anticipated objections from the Ministry of Defence.

Lewis Macdonald: National Planning Policy Guideline (NPPG) 6: Renewable   Energy   Developments   notes that planning policy is based on the principle that renewable energy developments should be accommodated throughout Scotland. However, the NPPG recognises that, in the case of proposed wind farms on airfield flight paths and in military aircraft flying areas, consideration should be given to the height of turbines and electro-magnetic fields generated.

Renewable Energy

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is supporting research into, and development of, fuel cell technology.

Rhona Brankin: Responsibility for policy and funding of research and development into new and renewable energy technologies is a reserved matter. The development and demonstration of fuel cells as a source of heating, in power generation and in transport is included in DTI’s most recent call for proposals for support under its New and Renewable Energy Programme. The total funding under the programme available amounts to £55 million over three years.

Residential Care

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the regulation fees charged to some care homes under the Registered Establishments (Scotland) Act 1998, (a) on what basis it was established that less than 15% of care home residents have to be referrals from local authorities for registration fees paid by private care home owners to be refunded, (b) who decided that the figure of 15% regarding refunds should apply and (c) whether there will be any provision for the refund of care home registration fees under the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Bill.

Malcolm Chisholm: Some care home fees are being refunded because of a legal technicality in the Registered Establishments (Scotland) Act 1987 which was addressed by the 1998 Act of the same name. Only those establishments not providing substantial services to local authorities are entitled to a refund. Following legal advice, the Scottish Executive decided that 15% was a reasonable proportion of the business of an establishment to determine whether it was providing substantial services to authorities. As the legal technicality was closed by the 1998 Act there is no need for such a provision in the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Bill.

Road Safety

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Executive will ensure that the message of its new initiative on drug driving reaches all sections of society.

Henry McLeish: The Scottish Road Safety Campaign, which is funded by the Scottish Executive, has produced a new leaflet which provides advice about police powers in relation to drug driving and the penalties faced by offenders. The leaflet is being distributed by police forces throughout Scotland via licensed premises and local drug action groups.

  In addition, the Executive announced on Monday an extra £180,000 for the campaign to develop a cinema or television advert on drugs and driving. The advert will be targeted at young drivers in the light of Scottish Executive research which found that nearly 10% of drivers aged 17 to 39 have driven under the influence of drugs.

Road Safety

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government that it should ensure that the leaflets produced by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions which set out basic rules about driving in the United Kingdom, including advice on driving on the left, turning right at junctions and roundabouts, alcohol, accidents, motorways, speed limits and special motorway signs, are reprinted and made freely available through car rental companies and other outlets to tourists visiting Scotland from outwith the UK and whether it has any plans to produce a version of this leaflet specific to Scotland similar to Driving in Scotland , produced by the Scottish Road Safety Campaign.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is in touch with Her Majesty’s Government on a wide range of issues.

  The leaflets produced by the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions, formerly the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, which set out basic rules about driving in Great Britain, are currently being revised. It is intended to make the new versions widely available later this year to a range of bodies in Great Britain including local authority and police Road Safety Units, ports and car hire companies.

  The Scottish Executive has no plans to produce Scottish versions of the GB leaflets. The Executive will continue to provide funding to the Scottish Road Safety Campaign for the development of road safety education and publicity materials, including leaflets such as Driving in Scotland.

Roads

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to respond to the South West Scotland Dry Stone Walling Association in connection with the standard of dry stone walls constructed as part of the A75 Glens improvement, as referred to in the Minister for Transport and the Environment’s letter to me of 4 August 2000.

Sarah Boyack: Officials have now replied to the South West Scotland Dry Stone Walling Association and a copy of the letter has been sent to the member.

Scotland Act 1998

Mr John McAllion (Dundee East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions have taken place with the Scotland Office regarding amending the Scotland Act 1998.

Mr Tom McCabe: Scottish Ministers have regular discussions with Scotland Office Ministers on the operation of the Scotland Act, for example in relation to the exercise of Order-making powers under the Act.

Scottish Executive Publications

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the full cost was of the report Corporate Economies of Scale Review prepared in 2000 by Pion Economics on its behalf and whether it will publish the report.

Peter Peacock: The cost of the report was £11,163. A copy of the report is held in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. no. 14428).

Scottish Executive Publications

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the full cost was of the report Parks, Allotments, Open Spaces and Regional Element GAE Review prepared in 2000 by Pion Economics on its behalf and whether it will publish the report.

Peter Peacock: The cost of the report was £19,309. A copy of the report is held in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. no. 14429).

Sex Education

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will supply the publications Taking Sex Seriously , The Primary School Sex Education Pack and Living and Growing to all MSPs to enable them to inform constituents about the material in the Guide for Teachers and Managers: Health Education 5-14 , produced by Learning and Teaching Scotland in 2000.

Mr Jack McConnell: No. This would not be an appropriate use of public resources.

  In March 2001, the Executive issued a circular to Directors of Education giving guidance on the conduct of sex education. At the same time, Learning and Teaching Scotland issued three new publications: A Summary of National Advice; Guidance for Schools and Local Authorities on Effective Consultation with Parents and Carers, and Sex Education in Scottish Schools – A Guide for Parents and Carers. These documents are all available in the Parliament's Reference Centre.

Teachers

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether teachers who work as education advisors will, under the McCrone agreement, receive salary increases at least equivalent to those already agreed for other local authority teachers and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Mr Jack McConnell: A short-life working group has been set up under the auspices of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers to review the pay and conditions of service for educational advisers.

Tourism

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the marketing of Badenoch and Strathspey as "Monarch Country" and whether it will urge visitscotland to investigate the feasibility of purchasing brief television advert slots at the end of episodes of "Monarch of the Glen" which are shown in other countries.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: This is an operational matter for visitscotland.

Tourism

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage the Scottish Tourist Board to conduct specific marketing of the West Highland Way in specialised publications and magazines in Germany, Holland and any other countries which constitute significant markets for the West Highland Way.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: I understand that visitscotland wrote to you recently, detailing their marketing activity promoting walking holidays in Scotland.

Transport

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been made available for the Powershift programme in the current financial year.

Rhona Brankin: In this and each of the next two years, £1 million is available for the Powershift programme in Scotland.

Transport

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many companies received grants under the Powershift programme in 2000-01 and to date in 2001-02.

Rhona Brankin: A total of 49 companies received grants in 2000-01. This year nine companies have so far been awarded grants.

Transport

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how businesses apply for a grant under the Powershift programme.

Rhona Brankin: Businesses should apply to the Energy Saving Trust, which runs the Powershift programme on a UK-wide basis.

Transport

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-14663 by Sarah Boyack on 23 May 2001, how many grants have been awarded under the Powershift grants scheme in each of the last five years for the purchase or conversion of local authority vehicles in (a) Clackmannanshire, (b) Stirling, (c) Perth and Kinross, (d) Angus and (e) Fife.

Rhona Brankin: A total of £48,360 has been awarded for 40 vehicles to Fife Council in the past five years. No grants have been awarded to Clackmannanshire, Stirling, Perth and Kinross or Angus Councils.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to take any action to recover any of the funding made available to City of Edinburgh Council in connection with the City of Edinburgh Rapid Transit scheme.

Sarah Boyack: I understand that the City of Edinburgh Council may be considering its position with regard to the City of Edinburgh Rapid Transit soon. I have asked the council to advise ministers of the outcome of this consideration and the consequences for its future plans. In the light of the council’s response, I shall consider whether it is appropriate to recover any resources from the council.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of recent reports on the status of the City of Edinburgh Rapid Transit scheme, what conditions will be imposed in relation to any funding made available for transport schemes in Edinburgh in future.

Sarah Boyack: Any transport authority seeking funding from the Scottish Executive for public transport schemes would need to demonstrate that such schemes contribute towards the objectives of its Local Transport Strategy. Projects would be expected to satisfy the five criteria for assessment of transport investment: value for money, integration, safety, environmental impact and accessibility. Projects which are awarded funding are required to submit regularly action plans and profiles of expenditure. It remains open to ministers to impose any additional conditions upon funding awards in the light of particular circumstances.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of recent reports on the status of the City of Edinburgh Rapid Transit scheme, what directions and guidance it will give regarding any alternative mass transit schemes proposed for Edinburgh in the future.

Sarah Boyack: Development Department Circular No 3/2001 announced the procedures for local authorities and the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority in applying to the Public Transport Fund for projects commencing in 2002-03. Further guidance will be issued for bids to the Public Transport Fund for projects commencing in 2003-04.

Union of the Crowns

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the Union of the Crowns.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Executive has not yet given detailed consideration to this anniversary, which falls in 2003. Planning is at an advanced stage to celebrate The Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002.

Water Supply

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether fluoridation of the water supply would have any implications for the future development of organic farming and horticulture.

Ross Finnie: Fluoride is a natural mineral present in many soils. It is also present in fresh water and sea water. It is not added to any Scottish drinking water at present but occurs naturally in some.

  There is no evidence that the addition of fluoride at the optimum (1 ppm) level for dental health would have any implications for organic farming or for horticulture.

Youth Crime

Mrs Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to tackle youth crime.

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what further progress has been made in implementing measures to tackle youth crime since the publication of the report of the Advisory Group on Youth Crime and the Executive’s response to the report last year.

Mr Jack McConnell: Our aim is to reduce offending by young people, particularly the small group who commit a disproportionate number of offences. Local authorities will provide a national network of effective community-based programmes. These will help tackle offending behaviour and make communities and individuals safer.

  Later in the year I will launch for consultation a national strategy on youth crime.